I am a female with a B.A. in Communications and have an Ohio teaching license in Language Arts 7-12 with 9 yrs. experience.

I lived in Grenada, W.I. several years ago and tutored at the International School, although not in ESL.

I'm finally ready to get my ESL cert. I wanted to get a CELTA, but I'm very interested in Egypt and the only CELTA school is located in Cairo. I sent an e-mail to the school asking for information, but have yet to receive a reply.

I read the other postings on the TEFLinternational school in Alexandria and they all sounded very positive. A friend of mine has traveled there and thought I would like Alex. better anyway. My main concern was using it to get a job elsewhere (as opposed to a CELTA) but that doesn't sound like it will be a problem (again, based on the postings I read).

Based on this, I am definately leaning toward Alexandria. I noticed that their website has a link to "Cultural Extremes." It says that after successfully completing your cert. with TEFLinternational you can do a 6 week internship (community service project) which includes teaching, 90 hrs. of Arabic lessons and "cultural immersion activities".

Has anyone done this 6 week "internship", or know anything about it? It sounds good. It only costs an additional $300.00. (as far as I could tell). I'd like to apply soon, because I'd like to head over there between Feb. & Apr.

Any comments or suggestions would be extemely helpful and appreciated!

Ummm, OK. I may be wrong here, but it sounds to me like you are paying $300 to work. Right? $300 will buy you plenty of Arabic lessons in Cairo or Alex without the work thing tacked on to it. As far as cultural immersion part.... All you gotta do is step outside your door in Egypt, you'll be immersed instantly, for free.

The Alex/Cairo thing is funny. Alex people despise Cairo, Cairo people find Alex supremely boring. Alex is more laid back for sure. Cairo is just insane, but more fun. Pick your poison I guess.

Did you do a search on this topic? There has been much discussion of this school in Alex. But, many employers prefer the CELTA. I am one of those who prefers Cairo to Alex, but it is a matter of taste.

I did do a search, and I read about the problems TEFLinternational was having in France, but it seemed that the Alex school was ok.

Yes, it seems that I would be paying 300.00 to teach and get Arabic lessons, but I believe that includes the housing also. Although I could be wrong.

I suppose I'm a Key West person as opposed to a Vegas person, so I figured I'd like Alex. better.

Since it seems no one knows about the Cultural Extremes part of it I guess I could skip it, but I'd ideally like to spend about 10-12 wks. in Egypt, so maybe I'll just have to figure out how after I get there.

As far as the CELTA school in Cairo, no one has sent me any information whatsoever, so it seems that I may not have a choice. Has anyone attended the CELTA school in Cairo? Can anyone give me any information?

If you have a teaching certificate for 7-12 plus demonstrated experience, you can teach "language arts" in an international school in Egypt. Teaching in an international school would pay you significantly more than teaching English in a private language school or a regular Egyptian local school at most levels. Did you not like the experience in the W.I.?

I loved my Grenada experience. I was there because my fiance at the time was going to medical school there. I worked as a volunteer because they had no money to pay me. We ended up breaking up and the school closed down shortly after anyway.

That was the thing that got me interested in teaching in other countries in the first place but I realized I needed to get certification first. Because of a chain of events that caused some financial issues with me, I had to put getting my teaching certification on hold. I worked as a long term substitute in Cleveland and worked my way through school. I FINALLY just finished my certification. (Ohio calls it a licensure). But I do have 9 years of experience and can get several recommendations.

Do you know specifically of any reputable international schools in Egypt?
Any info that anyone can give me would be extremely helpful.

I'm glad I made you laugh . I guess I just meant that one was more laid back and "beachy", whereas the other is more chaotic and fast-paced, at least that is how the two have been described to me.

Anyway, I went to cambridgeesol-centres.org. Only one school was listed as awarding a CELTA. That was: The International Language Institute
2 Mohamed Bayoumi Street
Heliopolis 11341
e-mail: ili@idsc.net.eg

As I said, I sent an e-mail and received no response.

Ideally, it would be great to teach Language Arts, but it seems that it would be easier to find short term jobs in many places all over the world. I would like to stay in Egypt for a few months first in case I don't want to stay. Also, in Ohio, you start out with a "provisional' license. During your first year of teaching (on a contract) you get evaluated. If you pass (only a moron wouldn't) THEN you can apply for a professional license which is good for 5 years. If you don't get your professional license within 2 years then you have to take MORE classes. So, I suppose I will be stuck here for another year, but I would like to spend a few months in Egypt first before the next school year begins.

I guess there is a lot to sort through. I'm just trying to get some concrete information before I decide among: Language Arts at an international school, CELTA in Cairo, or TEFLinternational in Alex. I don't have a whole lot of money so I'd like to make the most of it.

Bottom line: I'd like to spend time living and working in Egypt, learn Arabic, and get a "good" ESL cert. in case I'd like to do more travelling.

I did do the ILI search, and you are right, there are a lot of positive comments. I think I am now leaning toward that. I think I'd like to have the peace of mind knowing that I have a CELTA and not have to worry about whether or not an institution will recognize something else.

Unfortunately, the problem remains that they haven't answered my e-mail and they don't seem to have a website. I suppose I will just try to e-mail them again, or maybe call.

I also did a search for schools in Egypt where I could just teach Language Arts. I found a school called Schutz School. I sent them an e-mail but they don't seem to need a Language Arts teacher right now.

Hey there, been lurking for awhile, but figured someone should help out. ILI in Heliopolis moved buildings some time last year and has recently closed (around sept. 2005).
But it was a great place to do the CELTA and teach.

If it ever gets up and running again, another poster here would probably know more about it.